Penn State’s Coaching Carousel Continues: Heacock Retires, Barnes Heads to South Carolina
What started as a head coaching search has quickly turned into a full-blown staff overhaul in Happy Valley. After hiring Matt Campbell to lead the Nittany Lions, Penn State is now on the hunt for a new defensive coordinator - and the search just got a lot more complicated.
Let’s start with Jon Heacock. The longtime Iowa State defensive coordinator - and Campbell’s right-hand man since 2014 - was expected to follow his head coach to Penn State and take over the defense.
That plan never got off the ground. On Tuesday, Heacock announced his retirement, saying simply, “It’s the right time for this coach to hang up his whistle.”
That decision leaves a major hole in Campbell’s early plans for stability, especially as the program looks to rebound from a disappointing 2025 season. Heacock’s retirement isn’t just a loss in terms of X’s and O’s - it’s the end of a decade-long partnership that helped define Campbell’s identity as a coach. Replacing that kind of synergy is no small task.
And just when it seemed like Penn State might look inward for answers, another domino fell.
Later the same day, defensive line coach Deion Barnes accepted a position at South Carolina. He’ll join Shane Beamer’s staff as the Gamecocks’ defensive ends and outside linebackers coach, replacing Sterling Lucas. The deal is done - pending Board of Trustees approval - and Barnes is on his way to Columbia.
That’s a big hit for Penn State, both on the field and in the locker room. Barnes isn’t just a rising star in the coaching ranks - he’s a Nittany Lion through and through.
He played at Penn State from 2012 to 2014 before spending time in the NFL with the Jets and Chiefs. After returning to State College as a graduate assistant in 2020, he climbed the ladder quickly, earning a full-time role as defensive line coach in 2023.
And he made the most of it. Barnes helped develop a string of high-level talent, including Odafe Oweh, Shaka Toney, Arnold Ebiketie, Chop Robinson, and Abdul Carter.
His ability to connect with players and elevate their game made him a natural candidate to step into the defensive coordinator role after Heacock’s retirement. Now, Campbell will have to look elsewhere - not just for a coordinator, but also for someone to lead a talented, young defensive line group.
Barnes isn’t the only assistant leaving town, either. Running backs coach Stan Drayton was hired by South Carolina earlier this month, joining Beamer’s staff as assistant head coach and RBs coach. That makes Barnes the second Nittany Lions staffer to head south.
In total, five Penn State assistants have now moved on since Campbell’s arrival. Drayton and Barnes are off to South Carolina.
Quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien is reuniting with James Franklin at Virginia Tech. Tight ends coach and co-offensive coordinator Ty Howle is also following Franklin, taking over as offensive coordinator.
And Jim Knowles - the man Heacock was expected to replace - has landed at Tennessee as their new defensive coordinator.
For Campbell, the challenge is clear: rebuild a staff, reestablish continuity, and do it fast. The Nittany Lions are in a period of transition, and the next few hires will go a long way in determining how quickly this program can get back on track.